What 516 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Mercedes-benz C-class Phev

CAR STOPPED SUDDENLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD , LOST POWER, STOPPED, ALL THE LIGHTS WENT OFF, PULLED IT TO THE SIDE, FOUND OUT FROM THE DEALER ALTERNATOR GONE BAD, WAITING FOR NEW ONE FOR INSTALATION AT THE DEALER, SURPRISING TO SEE A ALTERNATOR ON MERCEDES GONE WRONG IN 30000 MILES

NHTSA ODI 10725534

ELECTRONIC INGITION SYSTEM MALFUNCITON CAR WANT START, ALL LIGHTS ON,RADIO WORKS BATTERY SEEMS TO BE OPERATING , TOOK TO DEALER EIS IS THE ISSUE, COST IS EXTREME, AFTER READING REVIEWS THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRES. NO RECALL HAS BEEN AUTHORRIZED...THIS IS AN ISSUE MERCEDEZ BENZ

NHTSA ODI 10725331

TOTAL FAILURE OF IGNITION SYSTEM, DROVE THE CAR PARKED IT, WENT TO GET BACK IN 20 MINUTES LATER WOULD NOT START, TRIED BOTH KEYS NO LUCK. CAR WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE EITHER KEY BEING INSERTED INTO IGNITION. 37 DAYS OUT OF FACTORY WARRANTY LUCKILY ENOUGH THIS COMPLETE VEHICLE FAILURE HAPPENED AFTER MY WIFE AND I JUST FINISHED A ROAD TRIP TO VIRGINIA, IF THIS WOULD OF HAPPENED AT SOME REST STOP, OR GOD FOR BID WHILE WE WERE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, IT WOULD OF BEEN A HUGE SAFETY RISK. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10712293

THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR GOT FLOODED WITH WATER. THE DEALERSHIP FOUND THAT THE LEAK WAS FROM THE RIGHT SIDE SUNROOF DRAIN AND THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO REMOVE THE HEADLINER AND PASSENGER SIDE INTERIOR CARPETING TO ACCESS THE AFFECTED AREAS. THE $795 ESTIMATE BALLOONED TO $1600 WHEN THEY SAID THAT THE SEATING WOULD HAVE TO BE REMOVED TO REMOVE THE ENTIRE CARPET BECAUSE THERE WAS MORE WATER THAT HAD GOTTEN INTO THE CAR THAN THEY ORIGINALLY THOUGHT! THIS SOUNDS LIKE A DESIGN DEFECT IN THIS VEHICLE! THIS COULD BE DANGEROUS WITH THE ELECTRIC POWER AND HEATED SEATS! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10679956

I RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL LETTER ON JUNE 2014 FOR TAIL LIGHT PROBLEM. I CALL THE DEALER IMMEDIATELY AND IT'S GOING TO BE DECEMBER AND THEY HAVE NOT DO ANYTHING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10661364

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. ON ONE OCCASION, THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO EXIT A HIGHWAY AND THE HEAD RESTRAINT AIR BAG DEPLOYED CAUSING THE CONTACT TO BECOME UNCONSCIOUS. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A HEAD CONCUSSION AND NECK INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,442.

NHTSA ODI 10628927

WHEN COMING TO A STOP OR LETTING OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IT FEELS AS IF THE VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. I SUSPECT IT'S EITHER COMING FROM THE DRIVE SHAFT OR TRANSMISSION. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP A NUMBER OF TIMES BUT CAN NOT DUPLICATE AFTER IT HAPPENED GOING ON A TEST DRIVE WITH A TECHNICIAN. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10626453

I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW IN 2011. AFTER A COUPLE OF MONTHS, STARTED NOTICING A ROTTEN EGG ODOR COMING FROM MY CAR. THE SMELL SEEMS TO COME FROM UNDERNEATH THE CAR. USUALLY OCCURS WHEN I'M GOING 45MPH OR MORE GOING UP A HILL ON A HIGHWAY. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TO CHECK, SO THEY TOOK THE CAR FOR A TEST DRIVE AND SAID THEY FOUND NO ODORS WHICH I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY? THEY SAID IT MIGHT BE THE TYPE OF FUEL I USE FOR THE CAR MAY AFFECT IT, BUT I USE PREMIUM GAS ONLY FROM CHEVRON. MERCEDES REALLY NEED TO LOOK INTO THIS, BECAUSE THE SMELL IS HORRIBLE! I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS SMELL FOR ALMOST THREE YRS. NOW. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10608253

SUN ROOF AND LIGHTS INSIDE THE CAR STOPPED WORKING SUDDENLY CAUSING COMPLETE DARKNESS INSIDE THE CAR AT NIGHT TIME. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10567057

PURCHASED THIS CAR BRAND NEW IN AUGUST OF 2011. SINCE THEN THE CAR HAS DIED 3 TIMES. THE FIRST TIME THEY THOUGHT IT WAS THE IGNITION. THE SECOND TIME, JUST 6 WEEKS AGO, THEY COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG SO AFTER 8 DAYS, THEY GAVE THE CAR BACK TO ME. OF COURSE WHILE THEY HAVE IT, IT STARTS RIGHT UP. WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS THAT I WOULD GET IN THE CAR AND IT SIMPLY WOULD NOT START, WON'T LOCK OR UNLOCK AND TRUNK WOULD NOT OPEN. NOT EVEN WHEN I TRIED THE KEY MANUALLY. IT SOUNDS ELECTRICAL TO ME. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, ONE OF THE MECHANICS TOLD ME HE HAD NOT SEEN THIS PROBLEM WITH MB IN 25 YEARS. I AM EXTREMELY UNHAPPY AND WILL NOT PURCHASE ANOTHER MB EVER AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10542609

AT ONLY 5000 CLUTCH AND FLYWHEEL "EXPLODED" ACCORDING TO DIAGNOSTIC AT PRINCETON DEALERSHIP. QEC CENTER IN JACKSONVILLE PROMISED TO PROVIDE RESULTS OF ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE CAUSE. ON 7/10/2013 I LEARNED UPON INQUIRY THAT QEC ADVISED PRINCETON DEALERSHIP TO DISPOSE OF PARTS WITHOUT GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO KEEP THOSE PARTS. I WISH TO KNOW WHY THIS HAPPENED; HOW COMMON IS THIS OCCURRENCE; AND WHAT IS MY RECOURSE IF THIS HAPPENS AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10524520

REPEATEDLY, VEHICLE REFUSES TO START ON FIRST TRY. INSERT KEY, STEERING WHEEL UNLOCKS. TURN IT, ALL LIGHTS COME ON. TURN TO START AND NOTHING HAPPENS. TURN SWITCH ALL THE WAY OFF AND THEN TRY AGAIN AND IT STARTS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10514039

LEFT SIDE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBELY MELTED AND CAUGHT THE TRUNK ON FIRE. I HAVE 10 OF THESE C300S THAT ARE AFFECTED WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE SPOKE WITH MERCEDES ON THIS ISSUE AND THEY ARE DECLINING TO DO THE REPAIR AT NO COST. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE COVERED NO MATTER WHAT..I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS AND YET THERE IS NO RECALLS OR TSBS ON THIS ISSUE. ANY HELP ON THIS WOULD BE APPRECIATED.. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10509639

THE AIR BAGS ON MY C300 MERCEDES 2011 DID NOT DEPLOY DURING FRONT CRASH. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED AT A T INTERSECTION STREET. I WAS AT THE FRONT LANE AT A T INTERSECTION STOPPING DURING RED LIGHT. A VOLVO CAR FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE INTERSECTION THAT WAS TRYING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN-INTO THE STREET THAT I WAS STOPPING ON- CRASHED INTO MY VEHICLE FRONT TO FRONT AS A RESULT OF AVOIDING GETTING CRASHED BY ANOTHER CAR THAT WAS PASSING RED LIGHT INTO IT'S OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THE VOLVO THAT CRASHED INTO MY CAR FRONT TO FRONT PUSHED MY VEHICLE ABOUT 10 FEET BACK WORDS AND CAUSED MY VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO AN SUV WITH THE REAR RIGHT SIDE OF MY VEHICLE INTO THE REAR LEFT SIDE OF THE SUV THAT CAUSED MY CAR TO STOP. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE. I THEN HAVE REQUESTED FROM THE COLLISION CENTER AT THE MERCEDES DEALER WHO HANDLED MY CAR, TO LOOK INTO THE AIR BAGS TO CHECK WHETHER THERE WERE A MANUFACTURE DEFECT WITH THE AIRBAG FOR NOT DEPLOYING. FEW DAYS LATER, MY CAR WAS REPORTED A TOTAL LOSS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10493639

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ENTERING A PARKING SPACE, THE BRAKES FAILED AND THE VEHICLE WENT OVER A CURB AND SLIGHTLY CRASHED INTO THE FRONT OF A BUILDING. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING AT SUCH A SLOW RATE OF SPEED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT ACCELERATE BUT CONTINUED ROLLING AND WOULD NOT STOP. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 4,100.

NHTSA ODI 10445099

BRAKE PEDAL IS NOTCHY OR STICKS DURING THE INITIAL PORTION OF PEDAL TRAVEL. INCONSISTENT BRAKE FEEL AT EACH STOP LEADS TO OVER OR UNDER BRAKING, DEPENDING ON WHETHER OR NOT THE PEDAL STICKS. IT HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED BY MERCEDES AS AN INTERNALLY LEAKING BRAKE BOOSTER, BUT THEY WON'T REPLACE IT, SAYING THE PART FALLS WITHIN SPECS. THIS CAR IS A 2011 C300W4. THIS MODEL IS NOT LISTED IN YOUR PULL DOWN MENU (I ENTERED E CLASS TO COMPLETE THE FORM). *KB

NHTSA ODI 10410605